Paths Taken
by elainenichole
Summary: Sometimes it's astounding where you end up. Who you end up with with up. Maybe the jerk sitting next to you in potions? It's all about the decisions made and paths taked.


_AN: I want to make a long-term story. One that shows a developing relationship, it's ups and downs and struggles, doubts, and enlightenment. We will see Hermione and Draco grow in their last year of Hogwarts all the way to after Hogwarts. It's like a TV show here. Oh and for drama to happen I can't have any Voldemort issues interrupting things so he got defeated in 6th year and Dumbledore is still alive. Doesn't mean there still isn't dark wizards out there ;)_

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><p><span>CHAPTER ONE: Mud For Two<span>

Hermione stared at all the eyes currently on her. Hermione Jean Granger was never one for nerves, she didn't welcome them. But this was something she has never experienced, something she has never done, and something no student has ever done.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. She looked up to the Gryffindor table and saw Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the rest of her friends giving her encouraging smiles, which calmed her only slightly.

"H-hello students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She began. "Welcome back!" She said trying to smile brightly as she had planned.

"Oh and Welcome to our new first years. I just want to address to you all the n-new plans I have for you as Head Girl for this new school year. I have run these plans over with Headmaster Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall." She said turning to gesture to them both, for they nodded back in response. "And they have greatly approved of what's to come."

Hermione took another deep breath. Not to bad she guessed, She could do this.

"After recent events of the past years, and the defeat of Tom Riddle last year. It has come to my attention that what is best for the students of Hogwarts at the moment is more focus on academics…" With this she received groans in response from the students, more coming from the Slytherin table, but hardly any coming from Ravenclaw. "…focus on more organizations such as Dumbledore's Army and S.P.E.W. and have a Halloween and Christmas ball." That last statement was followed almost immediately by excited murmurs.

"We agreed it would be a treat for everyone if we—." Hermione stopped though for a spot of brown substance fell on her hand. The school began to murmur in confusion at her abrupt stop in the middle of her speech.

Hermione was going to carry on but felt another spot on her cheek. She touched it and felt it upon her fingers. Freezing once she realized what it was, she started looking above her, and instantly Hermione felt a wave of panic before she was able to look down and protect her head in time before she was hit with an entire heap of mud.

It all felt as if in slow motion, as if it would never come to an end, as if mud upon mud was being poured onto her head by the tons. Once the dreaded horror did finally halt, it was complete silence in the Great Hall.

"Who did this!" She heard Dumbledore bellow behind her. Hermione's hands starting shaking, she looked up at all the faces. Watching as everyone tired to hide their snickers and laughter behind their hands. Hermione's eyes began to water, but she wouldn't cry in front of these people.

Hermione stepped down from the podium and felt Professor McGonagall's hand on her shoulder.

"Ms. Granger." She said with care and concern. Hermione didn't say anything and just stepped down the stairs and walked along the tables towards the doors of the Great Hall.

She heard people whisper as she walked by but kept her head held high even though her hands were still shaking.

"If we weren't positive her blood had mud in it before we do now." Said the undeniable shrill of Pansy Parkinson that was followed by laughter from the Slytherin table.

"Hey mudblood, you got some of your blood on your cloths." After this more jeering began to erupt from the Slytherin's and Hermione couldn't take the last few strides and just ran out of the Great Hall.

Once through the doors Hermione began to run, faintly hearing Ron and Harry call out her name, but she just ran away from them. She didn't really know where she was running to, but she didn't care as she felt the tears slide down her face. She just wanted to hide and to get away and to never see any of those faces ever again.

As she rounded a corner she came in contact with a body and immediately fell to the ground.

"Yuck! Why don't you watch where you're going! You got mud all over my robes!"

Hermione froze as she realized whom she bumped into thinking that Merlin himself couldn't have cursed her enough that day, but God had to participate in the torture as well.

"Sorry." She said quietly, hoping she could get by without him realizing it was her. Upon picking herself up, Hermione started to walk away but his voice stopped her.

"Granger!" Hermione inwardly groaned and looked up into the face of Draco Malfoy.

"Oho, this is rich, but priceless all the same." He said with a joyous look on his face as he chuckled into his hand. Hermione had never felt more humiliated in her life. Here she was covered in mud with tears running down her face in front of Draco Malfoy.

Not wanting to be anywhere near him, Hermione thankfully saw a girls' bathroom and headed inside to get away from Malfoy. Thinking she was in the clear Hermione sighed in relief, but to her disbelief he followed her in.

Hermione whipped around to face him becoming annoyed and angry. "You can't be in here Malfoy, this is the girls' lavatory!"

"Oh no, I'm not done with you yet Granger, this might just be the highlight of my entire time here at Hogwarts, of course aside from the time you're teeth were enlarged by Pansy and you being petrified." He said thoughtfully.

"Sod off Malfoy, I don't care what you have to say! You're just a lowly little ferret!" She said angrily, but it didn't seem to faze him.

Hermione grabbed a wad of paper towels and ran them under water and began to wipe off the mud off her face and neck, but it was so much it just began to smear. Why did she have to leave her wand in her room! She thought desperately.

Hermione began to frantically grab more towels and wipe off the mud, but it was still smearing. She began to become more desperate and frustrated taking the mud off and soon enough tears began to flood her eyes once more and slide down her cheeks.

_God, not in front of him, I am not crying in front of Draco Malfoy! _But she just couldn't help the tears. Hermione continued to wipe everything off, but stopped and flinched when Malfoy grabbed the paper towels from her, grabbed her chin and began to wipe away the mud with more concentration than she had.

Hermione froze, but let him continue. It was silent for a few minutes before she spoke.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked quietly.

"You call this being nice? I just made fun of you for being covered in mud, which really is hilarious, but you were annoying me just smearing the mud all over your face. Pathetic." He said the last part under his breath, but she heard it still.

"What was I suppose to do, I left my wand, so all I have is water and damn paper towels to get this mud off!"

"Not that! You are. You are pathetic, crying over this like some sad, helpless little girl." He said with a sneer.

"Well what am I suppose to do then ferret, since you obviously have all the answers."

"I don't know.," he said shrugging, finishing cleaning her face up. "Turn this into a positive."

"A positive?" She looked at him incredulously. "And I do that how?" She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Malfoy looked at her for a moment, even though she was being cold towards him she still looked at him inquisitively.

"Why don't you use that mudblood brain of yours and figure it out yourself." He said harshly, then leaving her standing there in the girls' bathroom.

Hermione just looked after him before shaking her head. "Ass."

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><p><em>Hope you likely likely. Please review =]<em>


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